Guildford Twinning Association

14/07/2026

Our Chair, Barbara Ford talking to That's TV Surrey about twinning and our Christmas German Mini Market

14/07/2026

Our trip to Freiburg was wonderfully supported by Hogs Back Brewery - have a look at their newsletter

Our beer travelled to Freiburg, courtesy of Guildford Twinning Association. The Germans appreciate their beer so Tongham TEA and Surrey Nirvana went down well!

13/07/2026

Here are some fun German compound words for beginners - wait till you see some long ones!

German Compound Words — Komposita 🔥

Did you know? German builds entirely new words by combining existing ones!

Glove — Handschuh (Hand + Shoe)
Turtle — Schildkröte (Shield + Toad)
Sunscreen — Sonnencreme (Sun + Cream)
Lightbulb — Glühbirne (Glow + Pear)
Refrigerator — Kühlschrank (Cool + Cupboard)
Ambulance — Krankenwagen (Sick + Car)

Which compound word surprised you most? 👇

11/07/2026

04/07/2026

Here’s Day 1 for you

30/06/2026

Freiburg Tour: Day Five
Our final day in Freiburg took us up the Schlossberg by funicular, before a walk to Kanonenplatz for sweeping views across the city, its rooftops and surrounding vineyards.
From there, we headed down to Kastaniengarten for a well-earned beer and snack, with live music from an American musician playing the Chapman Stick adding to the atmosphere. We also discovered why chestnut trees are such a favourite in beer gardens: they provide welcome summer shade, and their roots do not damage the cellars below.
And then it was time to head home to Guildford — with new friendships made, old connections strengthened and plenty of wonderful memories to bring back with us.
The Guildford Twinning Association organises a short break to Freiburg every year, whether or not the Partner Cities Fair is taking place. If you’d like to join us next time, why not become a member and keep up to date with this trip and our other events throughout the year?
Get in touch to find out more: https://guildfordtwinning.uk/

29/06/2026

Freiburg Tour: Day Four
Day Four began with an inspiring visit to Dietenbach, Freiburg’s third and largest sustainable development site, alongside the delegation from Madison, Wisconsin.
This ambitious new district is planned to provide homes for 16,000 people, with 6,900 dwellings, three tram stops, 22 daycare centres and a school. Work is already under way on floodplain management and infrastructure — another fascinating insight into Freiburg’s commitment to sustainable urban development.
Back at the Partner Cities Fair, we continued exploring the stalls and welcoming visitors to the Guildford stand, where we were proud to showcase some of the many things our town has to offer — with a special focus on gardens.
Highlights included a performance by the Padua Children’s Choir and lots of interest from visitors keen to learn more about Guildford.
The bees from Guildford in Bloom proved very popular, along with tastings of Silent Pool Gin and Hogs Back Beer — a wonderful way to share a flavour of Guildford with our Freiburg friends and fellow partner cities.
In the evening, the Guildford Twinning Association group enjoyed dinner with friends from Freiburg’s Anglo-German Club, rounding off another memorable day of friendship, exchange and warm hospitality.

28/06/2026

Day Three began with rain, but spirits were high as we headed to the Freiburg Partner Cities Fair, where all 12 of Freiburg’s twin towns came together to showcase their communities, cultures and connections.
At a time when some partner cities are affected by conflict, the message of friendship felt especially important. In his opening speech, Martin Horn, Oberbürgermeister of Freiburg, spoke about the value of coming together and maintaining friendship at a local level.
Four representatives from Freiburg’s twin towns also gave speeches, including the Mayor of Guildford, Jane Tyson, before everyone had time to explore the stalls and enjoy musical entertainment — more on that tomorrow!
The afternoon included a visit to the newly restored Augustiner Museum, while Mayor Jane Tyson attended a talk on environmental protection and climate change.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Guildford group enjoyed a welcome chance to pause, relax and recharge with a much-needed cappuccino.
The day ended with the Freiburg City evening reception for visitors from all partner cities — a warm and fitting close to a day celebrating friendship, community and international connections.
Check back tomorrow for more from Day Four!

27/06/2026

Short Break to Freiburg: Day Two
Day Two of our Freiburg adventure took us to Staufen, a wonderfully characterful historic town nestled among vineyards and watched over by its ruined castle.
It was the perfect place for a morning wander, with our guided tour bringing Staufen’s stories vividly to life — from silver-mining wealth and local legends to the remarkable “Staufen heave”, caused by a geothermal drilling mishap that left parts of the town centre slowly rising.
There was even a touch of mystery from Dr Faust, Staufen’s most famous resident, before we enjoyed a well-earned lunch at Café Decker — renowned for its cakes.
The afternoon brought a delicious visit to the Schladerer distillery, founded in 1844 and famous for its fruit brandies. Kirschwasser, the cherry brandy used in Black Forest cherry gâteau, was naturally a highlight, and everyone enjoyed tasting the different varieties before choosing a miniature to take home.
The day ended on a civic high note with a formal reception for the Guildford party in Freiburg’s old council chamber — their equivalent of our Guildhall. In the magnificent panelled room, speeches were given by Martin Horn, Oberbürgermeister of Freiburg, Guildford Mayor Jane Tyson, Our GTA Chair and Steve Callaghan, who spoke about Guildford’s mayors.
History, hospitality, friendship and a little Black Forest flavour — a memorable Day Two in Freiburg!
Check back tomorrow for Day Three!

26/06/2026

Guildford Twinning Association in Freiburg 2026
Every June, members of the Guildford Twinning Association head to Freiburg for a short break filled with friendship, familiar faces and new experiences.
It’s a lovely chance to reconnect with old friends, make new ones, revisit favourite spots and discover something different along the way.
Freiburg places great value on its twinning links, so the group always receives a wonderfully warm welcome.
There are organised visits each day, while still leaving plenty of time for members to explore and enjoy their own plans too.
Day One got off to a brilliant start! The group, including Guildford Mayor Jane Tyson, arrived in Freiburg and enjoyed drinks followed by a relaxed dinner at Feierling Brauerei, one of the city’s many fantastic breweries.
We were delighted to receive such a warm welcome from Anke Wiedermann, leader of Freiburg City Council’s International Team, who helped Jane get to grips with her programme. Jane was especially keen to learn more about Freiburg’s inspiring green projects and initiatives.
See details here: https://greencity.freiburg.de/pb/elements.html
More Freiburg adventures to come — check back tomorrow for Day Two!